Well it's a beautiful day and I hear there is a chance for rain later in the week. I don't know about you but I would rather hear that there is a chance, than no chance at all. I want to start this week off by saying thanks to a very special lady who always has something good to say about everything. Suzanne Walters turned; well let's just say over 70 this week and she is getting around like a 30 year old. She rides that bike of hers over 3 miles a day. She never complains, never has a bad word to say about anybody or anything and she exercises like no one I’ve ever seen. I hope when you see her this week that you will take time and tell her happy birthday.

We also need to thank some very specail individuals this week as well. Wednesday, the 11th of this month is Veterans Day here in our great nation. We have a habit in this nation of sometimes forgetting those that are so important to us. Well I'm here to tell you that we can never forget those who gave so much of themselves to serve our nation. We enjoy so many privileges in our country and we all tend to take them for granted at one time or another. Yet without the men and women of our armed forces we would not have freedom of any kind to speak of. Since this country was founded there have always been those willing to stand up and fight for the rights of others and to protect our values and beliefs and the things that make this nation great. This Veterans day lets all seek these men and women out and thank them for their courage and sacrifice for us and for our nation. When you see one of our men or women in one of our nation’s uniforms take a moment to shake their hands and thank them, talk with them and let them all know that we are very proud of them and of America and what we stand for and what they protect. Our great nation is not perfect, and we have not always treated our Veterans like we should, but we can fix that with some kindness and a willing heart. God Bless America and our Veterans.

Well we have kept the jail full this past week and had to move more to another county. We are doing our best to keep the population down, but if someone insists on coming to visit then we will make sure that they have a bed and are comfortable until they are ready to act right. We have noticed a slight increase in calls and have adjusted our schedule to cover those better. Hunting season is in full swing and we have put on extra coverage and both our game wardens are back with us full time. During the summer we lose one to the lakes, but with it being colder and deer season on us, they will both be busy right here in San Saba.

I for one am very glad deer season is back in full swing. I have run into numerous individuals who I have known for years and look forward to seeing them this time of the year. I have met some of them and their families when I worked for Sheriff John Benner back in the day. We all know that there will be a lot of new traffic on the back roads and we are expecting your calls. Yet we will respond as quickly as possible, which depends on the call load at the time. Traffic that is not normal, like between the hours of 8 p.m. and say 4 a.m., will be the call we are expecting. If you see spotlights or parking in the roadway for some time, please call this in as quickly as possible and we will get someone into the area. Now if you are hog hunting at night, please call the Sheriff's Office and we will log your information into the log for the game wardens. We want everyone to enjoy themselves and the excellent hunting in our beautiful county, but as safely as possible.

We are also asking for your assistance with a few matters. When you are burning out in the county, please don't forget to give the Sheriff's Office a call and give us some basic information on the burn. We spend several hours every week chasing down possible fires only to discover that they are controlled burns or something of that nature. We do not know unless you call therefore we have to respond to make sure it's not a real fire emergency, so please give us a call. The other matter is livestock roaming on the roadways. The Sheriff's Office is asking for your assistance with this problem. We are having a difficult time finding who some of the cattle belong to and are hoping that with a few calls we can cut this problem in half. We are aware that some of the cattle problems are from ranchers who live out of county, thus the real problem. What we are hoping to do is get our local ranchers to advise us of when they are moving cattle to a new place and or if they are having problems with someone else's cattle getting out and who we need to contact. We do not mind putting cattle up and have been doing that, but we cannot continue to go to the same area over and over. We have also called on some of you for assistance over and over and everyone is willing to help. We know that livestock will get out every so often and that is not the problem. What we want to address are the ones that tend to stay out and live on other ranches than their own. Please contact us with any information that could be helpful.

Pecan season is in full season and with that brings another opportunity. I believe in all fairness that I have to remind people that just because there is a pecan tree and you can see it, does not give you the right to jump a fence and pick up the pecans. That is called stealing and you can and will go to jail and or be issued numerous citations. There are a lot of individuals who depend on their pecan crops to make a living and they need all they have so please leave others property alone. I want to thank the individuals who called in the two who were stealing Sunday morning and let them know that we caught them both.

I wanted to bring to your attention a safety concern for our central Texas area. There has been an individual reported in Central Texas who is impersonating a police officer and stopping individuals out in the county. It has not hap pened here in San Saba, but we want to alert everyone to the situation especially since the football playoffs are upon us and everyone is traveling. Here are a few options that you can take if stopped. One is once you stop; keep your car in gear and your foot on the brake. Crack your window just slightly and then let the officer know that you are scared and are requesting another officer and/or being allowed to drive to the next safe location. The officers will address that concern and should relax your fears with his actions. The next option is you can always call 911 to confirm that you have an officer behind you with lights and are alone and scared out in the middle of nowhere. Be sure to put on your flashers to alert the officer that you are aware of his presence and slow down. This will let him know that something is going on. Now understand it is better to stop and take precautions like we have discussed. A 911 dispatcher will know what is going on or will have help coming your way quickly. Keep your eyes open and get all of the details of your contact. A officer will not ask you for cash or jewelry and that will be a clue to drive off and get help. Now understand, no one is telling anyone to run or to keep driving but we do not want anyone hurt either so use your best judgement. Make sure if you have service that you call 911 asap.

Well once again we want to thank everyone for all your support and your prayers. We have enjoyed working at each school and with the different groups this month and look forward to working with you even more and soon. If you need anything or have a problem, concern and or idea, our office is always open and you can contact us at 325-372-5551 or 5432.